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Teen heads west for national pageant
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| Ashley Schuett, Miss Junior Teen Colorado, and members of Arapahoe High School’s football team and environment club plant a 10-foot maple on school grounds. Courtesy photo |
By Peter Jones
As the snow fell on Dry Creek Road, it was an eye-catching scene for passers-by on Oct. 21 when a determined Ashley Schuett planted a 10-foot maple tree at Arapahoe High School in Centennial.
It was a rain, snow or shine proposition for Schuett, a sophomore — though she did get some help from the school’s football team and environment club.
The planting was a service project for Schuett, Miss Junior Teen Colorado. Earlier this year, the 15-year-old Highlands Ranch resident beat out 90 other teens, ages 13-15, for the title.
Among her prizes — community service, or in this case, bringing a little more green to the grounds of the school.
In November, Schuett will travel with her parents to Anaheim, Calif., for an all-expenses-paid trip as she represents Colorado and competes in the National American Miss Junior Teen pageant.
Colorado Community Newspapers asked Miss Junior Teen a few questions.
CCN: Tell us about the tree, first of all.
Schuett: It was 10-foot-tall maple tree donated by Arapahoe Acres, which was very nice. We picked Wednesday because it was a late-start day so we did it in the morning, not knowing it was supposed to snow that day. It was snowing like crazy, but we were still out there.
CCN: Tell us about being Miss Junior Teen Colorado?
Schuett: Whenever I say I’m Miss Junior Teen Colorado, I kind of have backup and explain it a little bit to people. When people think of pageants, they think of “Toddlers and Tiaras” and all these 5-year-old girls dressed up in evening gowns with hair that’s crazy, and they get fake tans and fake teeth. That’s not the real idea of pageants. We’re viewed as shallow people almost, but it’s nothing like that.
People refer to it as a beauty pageant and it’s not that at all. You’re not allowed to wear a lot of makeup. If you are, you’re marked down a lot. You’re not allowed to have showy dresses or big poofy hair. It’s all based on internal beauty and who you are and how you present yourself.
CCN: But you are judged on your evening-gown wear.
Schuett: They’re not judging your dress. They’re not judging your appearance, but how well you walk on stage in front of all the audience and how confident you are and how well you stand out.
There’s 30 percent on that. Another 30 percent is interview. You’re not interviewed on stage. You’re interviewed in a business-like setting. And then you’re judged 30 percent on your personal introduction. You get up in front of everyone and just state who you are, what you’re interested in, why you want to be Miss Junior Teen. The last 10 percent is community involvement.
CCN: What was your strategy to take the crown?
Schuett: The main thing, I think, is just to stand out and show how unique you are and how well you can represent Colorado. That’s what I tried to go for. They’re really looking for a well-rounded person. I just tried to show that as best as possible.
CCN: Next comes the community service.
Schuett: The queen last year for my age group completed over 300 hours so that’s my goal is to top that. You just travel through Colorado representing the program, representing what this pageant is about. This Saturday, I’ll be volunteering at Children’s Hospital.
CCN: And then it’s off to Anaheim for Thanksgiving and the national competition?
Schuett: I get to travel to Disneyland and tour Hollywood for free. You have a whole itinerary of events that you do at nationals. The pageant is not broadcast, but you can get it on a podcast.
CCN: What are your plans for after graduation in 2012?
Schuett: I would love to go to University of Missouri because I would like to be a TV news reporter. They have a great journalism program. I love public speaking and I love to get up in front of people and just present myself. I’m really interested in the world and what’s going on so I thought that would be a great combination.
It was a rain, snow or shine proposition for Schuett, a sophomore — though she did get some help from the school’s football team and environment club.
The planting was a service project for Schuett, Miss Junior Teen Colorado. Earlier this year, the 15-year-old Highlands Ranch resident beat out 90 other teens, ages 13-15, for the title.
Among her prizes — community service, or in this case, bringing a little more green to the grounds of the school.
In November, Schuett will travel with her parents to Anaheim, Calif., for an all-expenses-paid trip as she represents Colorado and competes in the National American Miss Junior Teen pageant.
Colorado Community Newspapers asked Miss Junior Teen a few questions.
CCN: Tell us about the tree, first of all.
Schuett: It was 10-foot-tall maple tree donated by Arapahoe Acres, which was very nice. We picked Wednesday because it was a late-start day so we did it in the morning, not knowing it was supposed to snow that day. It was snowing like crazy, but we were still out there.
CCN: Tell us about being Miss Junior Teen Colorado?
Schuett: Whenever I say I’m Miss Junior Teen Colorado, I kind of have backup and explain it a little bit to people. When people think of pageants, they think of “Toddlers and Tiaras” and all these 5-year-old girls dressed up in evening gowns with hair that’s crazy, and they get fake tans and fake teeth. That’s not the real idea of pageants. We’re viewed as shallow people almost, but it’s nothing like that.
People refer to it as a beauty pageant and it’s not that at all. You’re not allowed to wear a lot of makeup. If you are, you’re marked down a lot. You’re not allowed to have showy dresses or big poofy hair. It’s all based on internal beauty and who you are and how you present yourself.
CCN: But you are judged on your evening-gown wear.
Schuett: They’re not judging your dress. They’re not judging your appearance, but how well you walk on stage in front of all the audience and how confident you are and how well you stand out.
There’s 30 percent on that. Another 30 percent is interview. You’re not interviewed on stage. You’re interviewed in a business-like setting. And then you’re judged 30 percent on your personal introduction. You get up in front of everyone and just state who you are, what you’re interested in, why you want to be Miss Junior Teen. The last 10 percent is community involvement.
CCN: What was your strategy to take the crown?
Schuett: The main thing, I think, is just to stand out and show how unique you are and how well you can represent Colorado. That’s what I tried to go for. They’re really looking for a well-rounded person. I just tried to show that as best as possible.
CCN: Next comes the community service.
Schuett: The queen last year for my age group completed over 300 hours so that’s my goal is to top that. You just travel through Colorado representing the program, representing what this pageant is about. This Saturday, I’ll be volunteering at Children’s Hospital.
CCN: And then it’s off to Anaheim for Thanksgiving and the national competition?
Schuett: I get to travel to Disneyland and tour Hollywood for free. You have a whole itinerary of events that you do at nationals. The pageant is not broadcast, but you can get it on a podcast.
CCN: What are your plans for after graduation in 2012?
Schuett: I would love to go to University of Missouri because I would like to be a TV news reporter. They have a great journalism program. I love public speaking and I love to get up in front of people and just present myself. I’m really interested in the world and what’s going on so I thought that would be a great combination.
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